9-year-old twin entrepreneurs learn valuable skills managing their own makeup company

HOUSTON, Texas — Taraji and Tajere Cossey love to play like other 9-year-old girls. But these twins from Houston, Texas are also working hard as entrepreneurs.

The Cossey sisters started their own vegan makeup company during the pandemic called Melanin Skholars.

“We came up with the name because the girls are filled with melanin. We are constantly encouraging them to love the skin that they are in and that means to enjoy the brown skin that they have…to enjoy the hair that they have,” their mother LaToya said. “And most times people look at scholars having a certain IQ but it doesn’t have to do with IQ when we say ‘skholars.’ Children and people are smart in areas that they have passion in.”

Since starting the business, orders have come in from all over the country. The sisters work with their mom to mix the ingredients, fill packages, review sales orders, and ship out the products.

Taraji and Tajere work with their mom to mix all of the ingredients in their vegan lip gloss and lip scrub and have flavors like Unicorn Cupcake, Frozen Handstands, and Mango-tastic.

If you would like to learn more about Melanin Skholars, visit www.melaninskholars.com or check them out on Instagram @melanintwinslearn.